What time is it, on your computer?

just a query, cos I checked the clock settings on mine, and to get "Internet time" you can choose from time-windows.comtime-nist.govtime-nw.nist.govtime-a.nist.govtime-b.nist.govso the query is.... what do they mean? where are they, and are they all as good as each other, so it really doesn`t make any difference which one you choose... ?

Re: What time is it, on your computer?

I remember installing a local time server in a trading floor project in London, the company had office in the USA, Europe and Russia and their servers had to be absolutely in time synch. Using the internet ntp was not sufficiently accurate. Those systems picked up the GPS time signal and required an antenna wire running up several floors to the roof. The main problem was protecting the antenna and cable from lightning strikes which could have had a direct route into the server room.

Re: What time is it, on your computer?

The best bet is to use a time server which is as close to you as possible. You can't get any closer than ntp.plus.net! (you don't have to pick from the list, you can put your own in)

Smart answer... ! ... however.... how does someone like me.... and un-educated techno nerd.... (!) find out about this kind of stuff... HUH ? easy for those who know, to answer, but not so easy for us "unknowing" plebs to find out.... I had no idea that PlusNet was a time station, nor the address, nor that I could put my own time station address in the box.... only a true "nerd" would know all that.... Hence my original question(s) .... (late edit)...... Thanks Artmo !

Re: What time is it, on your computer?

so the query is.... what do they mean? where are they, and are they all as good as each other, so it really doesn`t make any difference which one you choose... ?

They're domains / addresses for NTP servers - in other words time servers which use the NTP protocol.Many are american but there are others out there - they normally send you the time in your timezone automatically - presumably this is sent in the request like most other protocols requesting information.I have a list of servers if its any use to you.. I know tick and tock.usno.navy.mil both went offline a while back, no idea if they're back online or what others are still valid but here we go:augean.eleceng.adelaide.edu.aubonehed.lcs.mit.educalvus.rzs-hm.sichronos1.umt.educhronos2.umt.educhronos3.umt.educlock.cuhk.edu.hkclock.isc.orgclock.linuxshell.netclock.nc.fukuoka-u.ac.jpclock.psu.educlock.tl.fukuoka-u.ac.jpclock2.netcetera.dkcuckoo.nevada.edudarkcity.cerias.purdue.edufartein.ifi.uio.nofuzz.psc.edugilbreth.ecn.purdue.edugps.freebsd.dkharbor.ecn.purdue.eduinfo.cyf-kr.edu.pllouie.udel.edumolecule.ecn.purdue.edunavobs1.wustl.edunist1.aol-ca.truetime.comnow.okstate.eduns.nts.umn.edunss.nts.umn.eduntp.adelaide.edu.auntp.certum.plntp.cmr.govntp.cpsc.ucalgary.cantp.cs.strath.ac.ukntp.cs.unp.ac.zantp.ctr.columbia.eduntp.dgf.uchile.clntp.fnbhs.comntp.karpo.czntp.lth.sentp.marine.csiro.auntp.maths.tcd.ientp.mel.nml.csiro.auntp.nml.csiro.auntp.obspm.frntp.per.nml.csiro.auntp.psn.runtp.saard.netntp.shim.orgntp.tmc.eduntp.ucsd.eduntp.univ-lyon1.frntp.via.ecp.frntp0.cornell.eduntp-0.cso.uiuc.eduntp0.nl.netntp1.cmc.ec.gc.cantp1.cs.wisc.eduntp-1.cso.uiuc.eduntp-1.ece.cmu.eduntp1.fau.dentp1.mainecoon.comntp-1.mcs.anl.govntp1.mpis.netntp1.nl.netntp1.sp.sentp-1.vt.eduntp2.cmc.ec.gc.cantp-2.cso.uiuc.eduntp-2.ece.cmu.eduntp2.mainecoon.comntp-2.mcs.anl.govntp2.mpis.netntp2.nl.netntp2.sp.sentp-2.vt.eduntp2a.mcc.ac.ukntp2b.mcc.ac.ukntp2c.mcc.ac.ukntp2d.mcc.ac.ukntp3.cs.wisc.eduntp5.tamu.eduntp-cup.external.hp.comntps.net4u.itntps1-0.cs.tu-berlin.dentps1-1.cs.tu-berlin.dentp-sop.inria.fros.ntp.carnet.hrotc1.psu.eduptbtime1.ptb.deptbtime2.ptb.dereloj.kjsl.comri.ntp.carnet.hrrolex.usg.edusizif.mf.uni-lj.sist.ntp.carnet.hrsundial.columbia.edusushi.compsci.lyon.eduswisstime.ethz.chtick.cs.unlv.edutick.keso.fitick.nap.com.artick.usno.navy.miltick.utoronto.catime.alcanet.notime.chu.nrc.catime.deakin.edu.autime.esec.com.autime.ien.ittime.ijs.sitime.kfki.hutime.nrc.catime.nuri.nettime.sinectis.com.artime1.stupi.setime2.stupi.setimekeeper.isi.edutimelord.uregina.catimeserver.cs.umb.edutimex.cs.columbia.edutimex.usg.edutock.keso.fitock.nap.com.artock.usno.navy.miltock.utoronto.causno.pa-x.dec.comvega.cbk.poznan.plwwv.otc.psu.eduzg1.ntp.carnet.hrzg2.ntp.carnet.hr

Re: What time is it, on your computer?

@Shutter the thing is YOU don't really need to know what a time server is, it is automatically set for you by M$, personally I have mine set to ntp.plus.net (I used to use ntp.demon.co.uk until I pinged the PN one to see if it was there). It is just a background service not something you can actively modify, in that once it gets the time set it is done (usually for then next 24 hours). If the time is wrong then probably it can't contact the time server.

Re: What time is it, on your computer?

I have used pool.ntp.org for many years and anything I have that allows me to make this setting I change to this. It's good when you see your PC, VoIP phone etc update at the same time.However, a lot of devices suffer from drift so you have to ensure that you poll the time server often enough to compensate for this and keep everything in sync.